November 2002

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Four from east run for OFA executive

Only one person so far is running to fill Jack Wilkinson’s shoes as president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA).

He’s Ron Bonnett, who is currently serving as one of two vice presidents. However, there are four people vying for the two positions of vice president: Bill Mailloux, who is currently a vice president, Allan Gardiner, Terry Otto, and Geri Kamenz.

Only two people, at Farmers Forum press time, have said they were running for the five-member executive. They are Bette Jean Crews and Paul Mistelle, of Elgin County.

The annual convention is on Tuesday, November 26. We have brief biographies below of the four people from eastern Ontario who are running in the election.

Kamenz on environment
SPENCERVILLE — Geri Kamenz has served three years on the executive of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). He’ll be seeking one of two vice president positions.

He’s become the OFA’s foremost authority on environmental issues, chairing the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s Environmental Science committee. He is also chair of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Environment committee, which gives advice on policy to the federal government.

As a hog producer, under the designation intensive livestock, he agrees with the provincial government’s Bill 81 on nutrient management. But as a beef producer and cash cropper, the bill is too much for too little return, and threatens the social fabric of rural Ontario, he says. He supports the Odyssey Report recommendation of a one-voice farm organization similar to Quebec’s UPA.

Crews on costs
TRENTON — Bette Jean Crews, is running for her third term on the OFA executive.

From a cash crop farm near Trenton, she runs a road side marketing operation and produces 80 acres of apples and 40 acres of fruit and vegetable.

She’s worked on many issues but has been the point person for the Farm Audit. She says most farmers are doing things right and an audit comes down to protecting the food supply. Her main concern is the cost of new programs to farmers imposed by governments. She says if costs go up then the society should bear them. But she’s also concerned about bio-security and competition from countries that have loose regulations or no regulations. She supports the OFA, as the main lobbyist for all farm groups.

Otto watches safety nets
METCALFE — Terry Otto, of Ottawa-Carleton, after five years on the executive is running for vice president.

He breeds and boards horses and runs a cow-calf operation. Before he came to the executive, he served on the finance committee. In the past year, he has worked on world trade talks and on the federal government agricultural policy. He says farmers are going to have to watch the feds. The federal government is pushing NISA and crop insurance as the pillars of the farm safety net. He favours a cost of production formula and says a strong farm voice is needed. Food safety will become one of the most expensive items on farms, unless farmers get together and force the government to pass the costs to consumers.

Gardener on urban threat
NAPANEE — Allan Gardiner, of Napanee, is running for vice president, after two years on the executive.

He runs a cow-calf, cash crop operation, along with a maple bush with his son. An experienced politician, he has been warden of Lennox and Addington Counties, and reeve of Richmond County.

He has worked on hydro deregulation, waste management and urban encroachment. He believes urban encroachment is the greatest threat to the farm community. Severances and parcels of land occupied by unsympathetic urbanites are making it difficult to move cattle and carry on normal farming operations.

When it comes to dealing with the city, farmers have a public relations problem. He wants more lobbying done and more emphasis on the farm perspective in urban settings and in governments.